Agriculture researchers not benefiting farmers, says BJP MP Om Birla

BUNDI, RAJASTHAN: Raising question over the output of ongoing research work in the agriculture sector, BJP MP Om Birla has claimed that researchers and scientists in the field were getting "high salaries" but their work was not benefiting the farmers.

"They (the scientists and researchers) are receiving high salaries, but they have not come up with a research helping the farmers check and prevent the crop damage," Birla said.

Citing an example, the BJP MP said that soyabean crop in Hadouti region was continuously getting damaged for the last four years but the scientists and researchers have not come out with remedial measures to check the damage.

"What is the use and benefit of such research?" he asked and expressed concern over the situation.

Birla also said that the agriculture supervisors even do not visit the villages for an accurate assessment of the situation.

He was speaking at a programme organised by National Seeds Corporation Limited in Indiraprasth industrial area of the city yesterday.

The BJP leader stressed the need to provide qualitative and genuine seeds to the farmers.

"The purchase of crop at minimum government price through Gram Seva Sahakari (cooperative) Societies would be started in next two years," Birla said.

Some farmers present at the occasion alleged that in spite of the prime minister's appeal to the farmers to get the soil cards, agriculture officials, without collecting the sample of the soil, were making soil cards in their labs.

Later, Birla directed joint director PK Gupta to present a report on the issue within three days.